It sets out the funding required to modernise the service and give officers and staff the tools they need to protect the public. The investment would also generate savings and public service improvements for the wider criminal justice system.

It was revealed in the outlined business case that many IT systems are out-of-date and not integrated, which could leave them at risk of advanced cyber attacks.

The report also found officers were unable to access vital information about victims from the force's database or relevant partner agencies before attending calls. It was also claimed police waste too much time on administration tasks after calls as they still use paper notebooks on the beat.

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The technology overhaul is part of a 10-year strategy to meet the future demands of policing.

Deputy Chief Constable Fiona Taylor said: “There has been significant under-investment in technology in policing since well before 2013 and we’ve not been able to make use of some of the investment that has been available.

“Despite this, our officers and staff have continued to deliver to the best of their ability by making huge personal commitments to get the job done.

“But the present situation is unsustainable. The pressure on our officers and staff to work around the failings in our technology and meet the new threats will move beyond their ability to cope.

“It also has a detrimental impact on the public and our colleagues in other parts of the criminal justice system.

“At a time when the pressure on public services is immense, we are operating an economically inefficient police service.”

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An outlined business case sets out a phased delivery approach and points out that Police Scotland now has a much more robust programme management process in place to ensure it can be delivered.

DCC Taylor added: “The business case features a number of projects that have already been put in place by other police services in the UK and around the world. It is proven technology that Police Scotland needs now.

“We’ll give our officers mobile devices and access to integrated and up-to-date information on the move, allowing them to spend more time in the communities they serve.

“We’ll also give them better technology to capture evidence, speeding up the criminal justice system and making the process simpler for the public.

“It will allow us to improve the way we safeguard, manage and share data, helping to reduce the overall cost of the criminal justice system and improving the service to the public.

“We’ll make it easier for the public to report crime to us, using online services to close the gap between the police and the people who need our help.

“And it will put our officers back on the streets, allowing them to work on crime prevention and community-based policing to keep people safe.”